Round the corner to Cardigan Bay

No blog yesterday as we were anchored in Sandy Haven Bay, inside the entrance to Milford Haven with no internet or phone signal. Very strange when just out of site around the corner were huge oil tanker jetties and on shore oil storage tanks!
We left Oxwich Bay at 0500 as planned to catch the tide. Light winds to start with but a nice NE breeze sprang up giving us a great sail in bright sunshine. Approaching Milford Haven we had to sail South of the Saint Gowan and Tusker Rock buoys to avoid the Castle Martin firing range. Still quite disconcerting to hear the booms and see the smoke onshore from the artillery. Entering Milford Haven at midday we anchored in Sandy Haven Bay for lunch. After lunch we decided to motor further up the Cleddau river to see if Milford Haven deserved it's reputation as an inland cruising area. Huge oil tankers and loading jetties gave way, after passing under the Cleddau bridge, to more rural scenes as we motored up to Lawrenny before turning back to spend the night back at Sandy Haven Bay.

Oil Jetties

Sandy Bay Haven anchorage

Cleddau Bridge , passing under the wrong, shallower, span to keep out of the tide.

Rural scenery towards Lawrenny.
Today's plan was to head for Fishguard through the inshore passages of Jack Sound and Ramsey Sound on the tip of Pembroke. Strong tidal streams through both sounds dictated the timing and
would have meant leaving Milford Haven at 1200 but we opted to leave earlier and anchor off Skomer Island nature reserve to watch some of the wildlife while waiting for slack water in Jack Sound.
A nice Easterly breeze allowed us to sail out of Milford Haven and around St Anne's Head until we had to lower the sails to anchor in a South Haven on Skomer Island. The hour's lunch stop at Skomer was brilliant, sea birds nesting on the cliffs, gatherings of Puffins (what is the collective term for a group of Puffins?) and a couple of seals, none of which wanted to come close enough to get a decent
photograph.

Skomer South Haven anchorage
After Jack Sound the wind, forecast to be force 4 to 5, deserted us so yet again we motored in a flat
calm to anchor off Fishguard Lower Harbour at 18.30 ( the main harbour is reserved for commercial traffic).

Fishguard Northern breakwater.
Tomorrow is a day's rest before a planned overnight sail to catch the morning tide into Barmouth, wher the next blog will come from.

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